By Nancy Allen
My next publishing venture is SPOONER, and this is my second chapter book. Tony Spooner carries on the family tradition of his long-ago cousin, William, as he wraps his tongue around words that spill out of his mouth, twisted and warped. Much to Tony’s dismay, when he tries to say “bite her tongue” the twisted words “tite her bongue” pour out, reversing the first sounds of two words. For Tony, spoonerisms, named in honor of William Spooner, is a curse, not an honor. The more concerned and upset Tony becomes, the more he twists words. Tony wants to win a trophy, any type of trophy. When he comes close to winning, a bully intervenes, and Tony spews more spoonerisms. Tony’s twisted words create havoc, but can they work in his favor? This manuscript addresses the issues of bullying and trying not to be different. The story is timely since kids, parents, and schools are dealing with the issue of bullying in various forms and intensity. Spoonerisms, such as “Nick my pose” for “Pick my nose,” add humor and boy appeal. My goal in writing any book is to entertain the readers so they will turn the pages. Within that entertainment factor, I love to add information that is functional and appeals educationally. For example, this book has loads of humor, but it deals with the serious subject of school bullying, plus science and social studies information is scattered throughout. By adding the nonfiction components, the book will appeal to teachers and librarians, expanding the range of potential readers. SPOONER is under contract with 4RV Publishing. The projected publication date has not been determined.
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